Some articles are about strategy. Some articles are about how to use an app. Some articles tell you all about the threat of Waymo. This one, however, is none of those things. The article is closer to a love letter. After a week back behind the wheel in San Francisco, I remembered exactly why I did this job for ten years and 32,000 rides in the first place, and it usually had nothing to do with the fare. Instead it has to do with providing a good and simple service, and seeing the satisfaction in your passengers’ eyes. Read on as I share all the joys of my week in San Francisco, driving exclusively for Lyft, in a Blue Toyota Corolla Hybrid.
The Rituals of a Real Shift
Coffee. I did start each day with hot coffee in my Yeti mug. The mornings were a bit brisk, especially by Bangkok standards, so that frequent sip of freshly brewed java hit the spot. It lasted through my first four hours. Then I stopped at a Peet’s Coffee near the airport for two eggs and a hot latte. For the days I drove a full 12 hours, I stopped at a Starbucks for a vanilla sweet cream cold brew. That Yeti mug has been with me for years now, through dozens of cities, and it still holds heat better than anything else I own. The eggs became a small ritual of their own too, a quiet five minutes at a corner table before the next ride request came in.
Airport Runs. Wow, I did a ton of airport runs. Fortunately, at this time, Waymo does not service the airport, so I was the guy for the job. Without a doubt, the best tips come from airport runs: highest percentage of rides and good payouts. Many of the airport runs were scheduled, and I had to wait five extra minutes after arriving early. I took the opportunity to get out of my car, stretch my legs, and look at the moon in the night sky. Later came my favorite experience, the sun rising over the water, which still delights me to no end. Half asleep passengers turn talkative the moment they spot the terminal, relieved to have made their flight, and that relief tends to show up generously in the tip.
Food. The one food I miss the most when I am in Bangkok is Mexican food. I ate a carnitas burrito almost every day. I went to several old favorites, and as I prepare to return to Bangkok, I already miss my Mexican food. I also ate some fantastic sushi, a double double from In N Out, and a cheeseburger, chips, and a cold Pacifico at The Casino in Bodega. One night after a long shift I treated myself to a proper sushi dinner, sashimi and rolls laid out like a reward for the day’s work. It felt like the right way to close out twelve hours behind the wheel, sitting still for once instead of merging into traffic.
Car Wash. Every time I went to the Quick Quack car wash, it was packed and I did not want to wait. Instead, I broke out a sponge and some soap and did it myself. Daily, I washed the windows with Windex and paper towels. But no matter how well I cleaned them, when the morning sun hit the windows, there were streaks. Or if the car steamed up, I would see streaks on the windshield. Once the sun got higher in the sky, the windows resumed their crystal clear facade. A quick run to Safeway kept me stocked on both, paper towels and glass cleaner, cheap insurance against a foggy windshield at five in the morning. It became as routine as fueling up, something I checked before every shift instead of after.
Gas. At the end of each shift, I stopped at the gas station to fill up. I got very lucky with my Lyft Flexdrive car, a Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which gets approximately 50 mpg. I also found gas at $5.85 a gallon, less than the $6.30 I expected to pay. Prices were coming down about ten cents a week. I feel better having a full tank before a shift, knowing I don’t need to worry about filling up or running out of gas. Fifty miles to the gallon changes the math on a week like this, and I noticed it every time I pulled up to the pump next to someone fueling a full size SUV.
San Francisco. For everything I heard about San Francisco deteriorating, it all seems to be not true. This city by the bay that I love so much is still beautiful. I saw the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay, the ocean, Lombard Street, street people, bar people, working people, and even a coyote. The city is alive and well, and I loved rediscovering it as a Lyft driver. I passed a driverless Waymo waiting patiently at a stop sign on a quiet residential street, no one behind the wheel, just doing its job like everyone else on the road that morning. It is a strange thing to share a street with, and I suspect I will be sharing a lot more of them before long. During the early morning shift, two in the morning to six, there was a higher percentage of Waymos on the road. It was kind of eerie, like I was in a city full of ghosts behind the wheel.
Cashing Out. I cashed out every couple of days, and it feels good to put in long hours, hit goals, and put money in my bank account. While I did feel some aches and pains, the satisfaction of doing a job well, seeing passengers happy and engaged, and receiving well deserved tips all come together into an excellent experience. One week alone totaled $1,898.92, spread unevenly across the days, my best day topping $374 and my first half day a modest $194. A single deposit of $596.16 landed straight in my Columbia Bank account, and watching that notification come in on a quiet afternoon never gets old, no matter how many years I have been doing this.
Key Takeaways
This was such a good week. I’m genuinely glad I committed to coming back and doing it properly instead of half driving it. This one week will keep me full, in more ways than one, for another year. Perhaps that is how I will stay in the game: one solid week per year. However, I can see that Waymo is cutting into our demand, and that will only get worse over time. For me, this is now a hobby. For those who need this for full time work, it will still last a few more years, but San Francisco is a test case, and the robots are going to win.
Be safe out there.
